Flowers for slain trooper Chris Gadd begin to collect outside Washington State Patrol District 7 Headquarters on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Flowers for slain trooper Chris Gadd begin to collect outside Washington State Patrol District 7 Headquarters on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Police: Lynnwood man consumed cannabis, beer before crash into trooper

Trooper Chris Gadd, 27, was stopped along I-5 when he was hit and killed early Saturday. Troopers suspect Raul Benitez Santana was impaired.

MARYSVILLE — The Lynnwood man accused of crashing into a state trooper on I-5, killing him, admitted to smoking cannabis and drinking beer before the crash, according to a new police report.

Raul Benitez Santana, 32, made his first appearance in court Monday. The courtroom was filled with more than a dozen state troopers and other members of law enforcement.

Everett District Court Commissioner Jennifer Millett found probable cause for vehicular homicide and set bail at $1 million.

Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd, 27, had stopped along the right shoulder of I-5 near 136th Street NE while on routine patrol for intoxicated drivers just before 3 a.m. Saturday.

A witness reported Gadd was parked in a marked patrol vehicle with his lights off, according to the police report filed in Everett District Court. The witness reportedly had dashboard camera footage of the crash.

A black SUV, traveling at a “high rate of speed,” veered to the right and struck the trooper’s car, according to authorities. Gadd was pronounced dead at the scene.

A white van traveling south also collided with the black SUV, police said. The driver of the van was taken to the hospital with a broken leg and wrist. Five passengers in the van were not injured, according to the sheriff’s office.

The SUV driver, Benitez Santana, stayed at the scene. Police arrested him for investigation of vehicular homicide. Prosecutors later added a vehicular assault allegation for the injuries to the van driver.

Authorities took Benitez Santana to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett for an evaluation, then booked him into the Snohomish County Jail, according to police. A judge approved a warrant to get a sample of the driver’s blood to test for impairment, the report said.

Benitez Santana reported smoking cannabis and drinking a Coors Light before the early morning crash, wrote sheriff’s deputy Chris Mashburn. Later, the driver admitted it was two Coors Lights, according to the deputy’s report. A Breathalyzer test, given about 3½ hours after the crash, reportedly had a reading of 0.047 blood alcohol content.

Millett noted Benitez Santana has a “significant” history of speeding. He received speeding tickets in 2012 and 2015, as well as a ticket for going 49 mph over the speed limit in 2020.

On Saturday morning, a law enforcement motorcade traveled from the crash site to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office. Southbound I-5 remained closed for about nine hours north of Marysville. The freeway reopened around noon.

Gadd was born in Pasco and graduated from Kentlake High School in Kent, according to a state patrol press release. He went on to attend Green River College and Tacoma Community College, earning his EMT certification. He was married and had a 2-year-old daughter, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Two troopers place a photo of slain Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd outside WSP District 7 Headquarters about twelve hours after Gadd was struck and killed in a collision on southbound I-5 about a mile from the headquarters on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Two troopers place a photo of slain Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd outside WSP District 7 Headquarters about twelve hours after Gadd was struck and killed in a collision on southbound I-5 about a mile from the headquarters on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

He began working for the agency in September 2021 as a trooper cadet assigned to Grandview, Yakima County. His father, David Gadd, is also a state trooper, in King County. His sister, Jacqueline Gadd, is a state trooper in Texas.

Gadd was part of the 116th Trooper Basic Training class. Upon graduation in November 2022, he received two honors: the Top Collision Investigation Award and the Top Academic Award. After graduation, he was assigned to Marysville.

Gadd is survived by his wife, Cammryn, daughter Kaelyn, father David, mother Gillian and sister Jacqueline.

Jonathan Tall: 425-339-3486; jonathan.tall@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @snocojon.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Firefighters respond to a 911 call on July 16, 2024, in Mill Creek. Firefighters from South County Fire, Tulalip Bay Fire Department and Camano Island Fire and Rescue left Wednesday to help fight the LA fires. (Photo provided by South County Fire)
Help is on the way: Snohomish County firefighters en route to LA fires

The Los Angeles wildfires have caused at least 180,000 evacuations. The crews expect to arrive Friday.

x
Edmonds police shooting investigation includes possibility of gang violence

The 18-year-old victim remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River. Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council approves water, sewer rate increases

The 43% rise in combined water and sewer rates will pay for large infrastructure projects.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

Devani Padron, left, Daisy Ramos perform during dance class at Mari's Place Monday afternoon in Everett on July 13, 2016. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Mari’s Place helps children build confidence and design a better future

The Everett-based nonprofit offers free and low-cost classes in art, music, theater and dance for children ages 5 to 14.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

Riley Boyd, 6, left, and sisters Vivienne Boyd, 3, ride a sled together down a hill at Anderson Center Field on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County shouldn’t expect snow and cold to leave any time soon

Residents can expect a reprieve from the snow until possibly this weekend. Colder than normal temperatures are expected to remain into next week.

Modern DNA tech comes through again for Everett police in 1989 murder case

Recent advances in forensic genealogy led to the suspect’s arrest in Clark County, Nevada.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.